the_harry_potterfandomcom-20200213-history
Werewolf
- Chapter 9 (Grim Defeat) |skin=Various |eyes=Various |hair=Various |feathers= |related= |native=Worldwide - New from J.K. Rowling: Werewolves |alias= |height= |length= |wingspan= |mortality=Mortal - Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts) |distinction=*Human *Transform under full moon |affiliation= |status=Extant }} Werewolves are humans who have been infected with lycanthropy; due to the disease, they transform every month on the night of the full moon, becoming bloodthirsty, violent lupine creatures with no conscience. Appearance and traits There are werewolves in every corner of the world, both wizards and Muggles, and they have traditionally been hated by the communities from which they sprang. Witches or wizards involved in hunting or studying werewolves are more likely to be bitten than those who do not, and according to a study conducted in the nineteenth century by Professor Marlowe Forfang, Muggles taste different and are more likely to die of their wounds than wizards are, who generally go on to be werewolves. Werewolves can be distinguished from true wolves by five specific signs, including the pupils of the eyes - Chapter 28 (Snape's Worst Memory), which are smaller, the snout shape, which is slightly shorter, and the tufted tail, as explained on the Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL. Remus Lupin found this question amusing and made fun of it, listing the answers as "He's wearing my clothes", "He's sitting in my chair" and "His name's Remus Lupin". The real difference, however, is in behaviour; true wolves are not aggressive and attack only when very threatened, whilst werewolves are highly aggressive and seek humans out to attack. Muggle myths about werewolves are all false, and though silver bullets do not kill werewolves, a mixture of powdered silver and dittany applied to a fresh bite will seal the wound, allowing the werewolf to live on, though tragic tales are told of those who would rather die than live on as werewolves. Werewolves reproduce almost exclusively by bite, due to the immense stigma surrounding them. Those that do marry humans and have children produce human babies; lycanthropy cannot be passed on by birth. If two werewolves mate at full moon while in animal form, the result will be a very beautiful, highly intelligent wolf, but a normal wolf nonetheless, not a werewolf. Societal reaction The wizarding world lives in great fear of werewolves; students are taught in Defence Against the Dark Arts class how to recognise and kill them. Despite this prejudice, most werewolves are in their human forms very kind and gentle people, among them Remus Lupin - Chapter 17 (Cat, Rat and Dog). There are, however, some werewolves who truly are monsters, such as Fenrir Greyback, who attack children as revenge for society's hatred of werewolves - Chapter 16 (A Very Frosty Christmas). The Ministry of Magic has several laws and regulations on werewolves, but their policies have always been confused. A Werewolf Code of Conduct was introduced in 1637, making werewolves promise to lock themselves up and not bite anyone, and although every werewolf was supposed to sign, no one did, as no one was prepared to admit to being a werewolf, a problem later suffered by the Werewolf Registry. Werewolves have for years been shunted between the Beast and Being Divisions of the Ministry; at one point the Werewolf Registry and a Werewolf Capture Unit existed in the Beast Division while a Werewolf Support Services office was established in the Being Division simultaneously. All of these services failed. Due to this extreme terror of werewolves and the discrimination against them, some werewolves, such as Fenrir Greyback, used their lycanthropy to terrorise witches and wizards - Chapter 16 (A Very Frosty Christmas). When Lyall Lupin got into an argument with Greyback, the werewolf attacked Remus, Lyall's young son. Greyback also worked with Voldemort, threatening the families of those who disagreed with the Death Eaters' cause and for the most part bringing about a state of forced compliance. Appearances *''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' *''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' *''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' *''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' *''Pottermore'' Notes and references Category:Creatures